Hand brake



Patented Feb. 20, 1923..

i E SFT TES orales.

JOHN F. OCON'NOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER, 0F CHAZY, NEW YORK.

HAND BRAKE.

Application filed September 8, 1921. Serial No. 499,212.

yTo a-ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hand Brakes, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hand brakes. v

One object of the invention is to provide an eflicient hand brake especially' adapted for railway cars and wherein is eliminated the usual pivoted spring-controlled locking nothery object of the invention is to provide a brake of the character indicated wherein is provided means .for positively locking the brake against accidental release which means, when operated to release the brake, will positively insure the operating handle of the brake being rendered inoperative to the end that injury of the brakeman will be avoided.

Other objects of the invention. will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a mechanism embodying my invention shown as applied to a railway car brake of the vertical stall type. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sectional views corresponding substantially to the section lines 2 2 and 3 3, respectively, of Fig. 1.A Fig. 4 is a to plan view of a double-faced ratchet w eel employed in the construction.- Fig. '5 is a bottom plan view of the holding ratchet wheel employed in my construction. Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the member shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the ratchet wheel shown in Fig. it.

In said drawing, 10vv denotes a portion of an end wall of a car and, 11 the upper portion of a vertical brake stati", the latter having a squared top section as indicated. at 12.

In carrying outmyy invention, I provide suitable brackets or supporting means adapted to be secured to the wall oft-.the car, said means comprising an upper bracket 13 and a lower bracket 14. Said upper bracket 13 has avertically extending web 15 by which it is riveted to the wall and a horizontally extending web 16 having a depending annular flange 17. Said web 16' is also provided with an upwardly extended integral enlargement 18-19, the former being of substantially square form providing an interior square socket 20. The upper part 19 may ,be rounded so as to provide a convenient hand grip for the brakeman.

The lower bracket 14 is provided with stepped bearings 21 and 22 for the rounded part of the staff 11 and the cylindrical sleeve 23 of the double-faced ratchet wheel A which is rigidly applied to the squared section 12 of the staff.

The double-faced ratchet wheel A, rigidly secured to the staff as above described, 1s provided on the upper side thereof with a series of radially extending ratchet teeth 24e-24 and on the' under-side thereof with a series of radially extending ratchet teeth As will be understood by those skilled in the art and as shown best in Fig. 6, the teeth 24 and 25 face in oppositevdirections.

Journaled on the sleeve 23 is an annular carrier B, the same having an inner annular flange 26 directly engaging the sleeve 23 and an outer deeper annular flange 27 which, at its lower edge, is journaled on the upper portion of the bracket 14. It will be-noted that the two annular flanges 2G and 27 are concentric-ally arranged and leave an annular space therebetween in which is accommodated a spring 28 bearing at its upper end against the top wall 29 of the carrier B and at its flower end against the top face ofthe bracket 14. lVith this arrangement, it is evident that the carrier B is not only free `to oscillate with respect to the staff and ratchet wheel A carried thereby, but also Ato move up and down or axially of the staff. The carrier B, as best shown in Fig. 3,' is provided with a pair of laterally extende( flanges 30-30 between which is pivotally mounted on the bolt 31. the gravity d/rop handle 32. j

Vertieallv slidably mounted within the square socket 20 but non-rotatable with respect thereto, is the s uare hollow hub 33 of the locking ratchet iv eel designated'generally by the reference C and shown best in Figs. and 6. The ratchet wheel C, on the bottom thereof. is provided with a series ot' radially extending ratchet teeth 124 adapted to cooperate with the ratchet teeth 24 of the ratchet wheel A. Around its periphery, the ratchet wheel C'is provided with a series of heavy steep-pitch threads 34, as best shown in Fig. 6.v The hub 33 of the ratchet wheel C is hollow, as heretofore described, and is adapted to accommodate therewithin a second spring 35 which bears at its upper end against a suitable shoulder provided by the enlargement 19 and at its lower end against a suitable shoulder provided on the interior of the ratchet wheel C. Withv this construction it is evident that the ratchet wheel C will normally be held in itsllowermostl position but is, nevertheless, free to move upwardly againstthevaction of the spring 35, both during the winding-up operation as the ratchet wheel A slips thereunder, and during the release, as hereinafter described.

To release the mechanism, I employ an annular bushing 36 which is rotatably journaled within the flange 17 and on the to of the carrier B, as shown in Fig 1. aid bushing 36 is formed on the inner side there-- of with heavy steep pitch threads 37 cooperable with the threads 34. Said bushing 36 has a radially extended release handle 38.

rIhe operation is as followsz' To set the brakes by rotating the staff 11 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, the brakeman elevates the handle 32 to Ithe dotted. line position shown in Fig. 1 and pulls the same toward him. The radially extended teeth 125 on the top of the carrier B engage with the radial teeth 25 of the spring 35.

ratchet wheel A and lthereby cause the staff to be 'rotated step by step in a clockwise direction. It is evident that as the handle 32 and carrier B are returned in a `counter clockwise direction, that the teeth 125 will Icause the carrier B to be depressed against the action of the spring 28. The ratchet wheel A, during the winding operation, will slip under the locking ratchet wheel C but y will be held by the latter against reverse or backward rotation. To release the brake, the brakeman pulls the release lever 38 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 2. The first result of this'movement is to cause thebushing 36 to travel downwardly with respect to the locking ratchet wheel C, the threads 37 travelling down the threads 34. This action causes a depression 1 of the carrier B until the teeth 125 thereof are disengaged from the teeth 25 of the ratchet wheel A. Downward movement of the carrier B is limited by the carrier enraging the shoulder 40 of the bracket 14. When the carrier lB has been depressed to the limit of its movement, continued rota.- tion'of the bushing 36 will then *cause the lockingr ratchet wheel C to be elevated within the socket 20 against the action of the In this connection it will be .tatable element havin tance is afforded to its downward movement than to the upward movement of the ratchet wheel C because of the friction which will be present between the hub 33 and the enlargement 18, it being understood that sait'. ratchet wheel C is under constant torque due tothe constant tension exerted on the stati from the brake chain. From the preceding description, it will be seen that I eliminate the usual spring controlled pivoted dog;V insure disengagement of the operating member before release of the stad can occur; and provide a much better holding arrangement than the usual single tooth locking dog which sometimes slips 0H of the ratchet tooth and allows/the brake to release accidentally.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the lscope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a brake, the combination with a rotatable element having a ratchet wheel rotated in unison therewith, saidratchet wheel having two independent sets of ratchet teeth; of amanually operable oscillatable pawl member coperable with 'one of said setsy of ratchet teeth; a non-rotatable lockin element-cooperable with the other set o said ratchet teeth and normally yieldingly engaged therewithto prevent release move'- ment of said rotatable element; and a manuy ally operable release element oscillatable about the same axis as said rotatable element, said release and locking elements having cooperable engaging means effective to force the locking element away from and out of -engagement with said ratchet wheel when said release element is oscillatedabout said axis.

2. In a brake, the combination with -a roa ratchet wheel rotated in unison therewith, said ratchet wheel having two independent sets of ratchet teeth; of a manually operable oscillatable pawl ot ratchet teeth; a non-rotatable locking element cooperable with the otherfset of said Y ratchet teeth and normally yieldingly engaged therewith to prevent release movementvot said rotatable element; and an oscillatable manually operable release element, said release element and said locking element having cooperable steep pitch threads eiective to disengage the lockingelementfrom said ratchet wheel when the releasev element is osrillated.

3. Inl a brake, the combination with a rotatablebrake staff having a ratchet wheel rigid therewith. said ratchet meving lli) \member cooperable with one of said sets two independent sets of ratchet teeth; of an oscillatable pawl member co-operable with one of said sets of teeth; spring means normally holding said member in operative engagement with said ratchet teeth, said member being movable axially of the staff against the action of said spring; a nonrotatable locking element cooperable with the other set of said ratchet teeth, said locking element being movable axially toward and from the ratchet teeth; spring means normally holding said locking element in operative engagement with said ratchet teeth; means directly engaging both the pawl and locking element for successively first disengaging said pawl member from its corresponding set of ratchet teeth and then 4the locking element from its corresponding set of ratchet teeth; and independent manually operated devices for effecting oscillation of said pawl and Said dis- Vengaging means, respectively.

4. In a brake, the combination with a rotatable brake stafi' ha'vin a ratchet wheel rigid therewith, said ratc et wheel having two independent sets of ratchet teeth; of an oscillatable pawl member cooperable with one of said sets of teeth' spring means'normally holding said member in operative engagement with one set of said ratchet teeth, said member being movable axially of the staff against the action of said spring; a non-rotatable locking element cooperable with the other set of said ratchet teeth, said lockino element being movable axially toward and from the ratchet teeth; spring means normally holding said locking element in operative engagement with said ratchet teeth; and manually operable releasing means, oscillatable about the axis of said staff to successively first disengage said pawl member from its corresponding set of ratchet teeth and then the lookin element from its 'corresponding set of rato et teeth.

5. In a brake, the combination with a rotatable brake staff having a ratchet wheel rigid therewith, said ratchet wheel having two independent sets of ratchet teeth: spring means normally holdin said member in operative engagement wit one set of said ratchet teeth, said member being movable axially of the staff against the action of said spring; a non-rotatable locking element cooperable with the other set of said ratchet teeth, said locking element being movable axially toward and from the ratchet teeth; spring means normally holding said locking element in operative engagement with said ratchet teeth; and manually operable means for successively first disengaging said pawl member from its corresponding set of ratchet teeth and then the locking element from its correspondmg set of ratchet teeth, said releasing means including an annular bushing surrounding the locking element, said locking element and bushing having cooperating` steep pitch threads.

6. In a hand brake, the combination with a vertical brake staff having a ratchet wheel rotatable in unison therewith, said ratchet wheel, having radially extending ratchet' teeth on the top and bottom sides thereof; of an oscillatable pawl element cooperable with the ratchet teeth on one face of said ratchet wheel; a non-rotatable but axially movable ratchet wheel cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the other side of said ratchet wheel; and manually operable means bodily therewith, said ratchet wheel having radially Y extending ratchet teeth on t-he top and bottom sides thereof; of a pawl member oscillatable about the axis of said staff and cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the lower side of said ratchet wheel; a locking ratchet wheel cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the upper side of said ratchet wheel, said locking ratchet wheel having a hub of noncircular cross-section; a stationary bracket provided with a socket within which said hub is slidably mounted but prevented from rotation; spring means normally holding said locking ratchet wheel in operative engagement with said Hrst named ratchet wheel and manually operable means for successively first disengaging said pawl member from the first named ratchet wheel and then said locking ratchet wheel from the first named ratchet wheel, said disengagilflg means and lookin ratchet being provided with co-acting sli ing cam elements.

8. In a brake of the character described, the combination with a rotatable brake staff having a ratchet wheel rotatable in unison therewith, said ratchet wheel having radially extending ratchet teeth on the top and bot' tom sides thereof; of a pawl member oscillatable about the axis of said staff and cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the lower side of said ratchet wheel; a locking ratchet wheel cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the upper side of said ratchet wheel, Said locking ratchetV wheel having` a-hub of noncircular cross-section; a'stationar vbracket provided with a socket within w ich said hub is slidably mounted but prevented from rotation; spring means normally holding said locking ratchet wheel in operative engagement with said first named ratchet wheel g and manuall operable means for succeively first dlsengaging said pawl member from the first named ratchet wheel and then said locking ratchet wheel from the first isog named ratchet wheel, said means comprising an annular bushing surrounding sand v locking ratchet 'Wheel and having shouldered a non-rotatable but axially movable ratchetV wheel cooperable with the ratchet teeth on the other side of said ratchet Wheel; and

manually operated means for sucoessivelyZO first disengaging said pavvl from said first named ratchet Wheel and then said locking ratchet Wheel from said first named ratchet Wheel.

. In witness that I claim the 'have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th clay of Aug., 1921.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses CARRIE GAILING,

UNA C. PERIN.

foregoing I t5 

